After Chinese coach Sun Zhwang never made it to India despite signing a contract with the Badminton Association of India (BAI), two Indonesian are set to train Indian players,

After Chinese coach Sun Zhwang never made it to India despite signing a contract with the Badminton Association of India (BAI), two Indonesian are set to train Indian players.

Speaking to HT, chief national coach Gopi Chand said that Vimpi Mahardi and S. Sugiarto, the two Indonesians, had attended the Hyderabad national camp last November.

Sugiarto is a former world junior doubles champion, while Mahardi has been a member of the Indonesian singles team. Their first official assignment would be at the forthcoming camp in Hyderabad, which commences on February 20.

“From now on, Mahardi and Sugiarto will attend all the national camps,” Gopi Chand said.

He also said that the two have come to India under the BAI’S agreement with a shuttle and racquet manufacturing company. “They are going to be here for at least one year,” he said. Meanwhile, the BAI has intensified its efforts to rope in a full-time foreign coach. “We have shortlisted five coaches for the slot. Hopefully, we will take a decision during the Nationals in Patna (January 20-28),” said LC Gupta, the BAI secretary.